1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a data processing method, and a storage medium.
2. Related Background Art
There has been no conventional means to prevent production given in digital information from being copied illegally or no means established to essentially protect production. For example, a conventional image processing system which comprises a print controller which receives image data coded in a page-description language from a host computer and converts the data into raster image data and then sends it to an image forming device and the image forming device which forms images based on the image data thus sent from the print controller has no means to recognize image data sent from the print controller even if it is production, thus being unable to prevent such production from being copied illegally.
In the recent background that has strengthened legal protection of production given in digital information, a technological method is required to legally prevent illegal copying of production by use of a copying machine, printer, etc.
On the other hand, however, the copyright of some production can be bought from the author to output it with permission from him.
Such production needs to be released from its prohibition state of the image data protected (i.e., copy-protected) based on production information, which has not been taken into account. Therefore, there have been such cases that even with permission obtained from the author, his production cannot be output.
Also, there has not been discussed fully about technologies to provide other pieces of production relating to one production based on its information obtained.